Fights upset China rally organisers 

Organisers of a chaotic weekend rally in Auckland to promote China and the Olympics say they are disappointed fights broke out during the event.

Nearly 4,000 pro-Chinese demonstrators rallied in Aotea Square to declare their pride in their homeland, transforming the square into a sea of red and yellow flags.
 
But scuffles broke out when four men held up a Tibetan flag.
 
The pro-Chinese supporters claim some overseas media has misrepresented the Tibetan situation.

Despite rain, the crowd was in high spirits, chanting Chinese national songs.

But the demonstration turned ugly when a Tibetan flag appeared among a crowd of thousands of Chinese supporters.

Four men, all pro-Tibet supporters, holding a Tibetan flag tried to stand their own ground after being attacked by a Chinese man.

But he was whisked away by the protest organisers, while the crowd chanted "Keep going China" around the Tibetan supporters.

"We were jostled a little bit, few punches thrown, few flags lost," says Haralambos, a free Tibet supporter.

The Tibet supporters had good words for the organisers of the protest.

"The Chinese organisers came along and kept people back and they've been excellent and they've been very supportive of us," says Ian, another free-Tibet supporter who was manhandled.

One Steven Wong, who organised the protest, said it was about promoting peace and harmony and about supporting the Beijing Olympic.

They were thoughts echoed by many others at the protest as well.

One of the pro-China protesters said the gathering was not about anti-anybody, rather it was more a show of Chinese support for their country and the Olympics.

Encouraged by organisers to wear red, supporters waved Chinese flags and performed a mock Olympic torch relay.

After the Aotea Square gathering, the Chinese, still waving their flags, spilled onto Queen St, with cars approvingly honking at flag wavers and fellow Chinese on the street pavements.

In one case, a pro-Tibetan protester was taken away by police, leading to cheers and clapping among the protesters.

The Tibetan supporters say they won't be laying complaints with the police, choosing instead to go home and have a cup of tea and some Chinese takeaways.